In the morning, they freshened up and had their breakfast together. Ralph asked her, "All ready to travel?" She nodded to that and replied that she was only a bit nervous. They were waiting in the lounge. Her plane was going to leave in about thirty minutes. She checked herself into the departure lounge. Ralph smiled at her from the other side. Her heart flipped, seeing him smile. She thought how nice it would be to see his smile every morning.
He told her, "I am telling you, Adira. As they see Raven, it will be all over for them. She would melt their hearts."
Adira said, "Amen" to that. She then continued, "I hope God listens to our prayers and melts my Aunt's heart."
Ralph informed her, "Don't forget that you have other options available."
She replied, "I know that, Ralph."
She then watched him walk away. It was a prelude to what would happen once she had boarded the plane. She felt a tightening in her throat. She knew it would be hard to say Goodbye to Ralph. Although they had met twenty-four hours earlier, she didn't understand why she felt that way. Would she ever meet him again?
She never knew the reason why. But her answer was, 'Yes. I will see him again.' She knew he would come home safely.
Ralph reappeared and asked, "Ready, Mommy?" He flashed her a broad grin and then picked up Raven who was lying beside Adira on the chair. He started speaking to Raven, "You want yourself lifted, Honey. Don't you?"
Raven kept gazing at Ralph as if she understood everything he was speaking to her.
He kept talking to the little one, saying, "Let your Mommy sleep at a stretch for more than three hours. Don't trouble her. She will love that and also love you for it." Saying that he winked at Adira.
Adira told him, "Raven's Mommy also likes to see you come home safely."
Ralph gave her a killer smile, one that was full of confidence. It made Adira's heart beat faster. He replied, "I will do my level best."
Adira slowly started walking towards the gate so that she could drag this moment a bit longer. She asked Ralph, "I hope we did not keep you awake during the night?"
Ralph replied that he slept like a log. He told her, "I have brought something for you for the ride home. You will need it, Adira."
Before she could have protested, he wheeled up a stroller with a car seat attached to it.
Adira told him, "What in the world, Ralph? Why did you do this?" Tears pooled in her eyes. She asked him, "When did you buy this?"
He replied that he bought it last night while she was sleeping. He told her, "You can use the car seat for six months and the stroller much longer. You need not worry if you have to ride long distances in an Uber."
Adira looked up at him in amazement. She said, "I don't understand, Ralph?"
He started joking again and said, "Raven told me that she needed something to sit on, and you understand that I could not say no to her."
Adira knew fully well that he would not take it back. She also really needed the car seat and stroller. She stood on tiptoe to reach his face and gently kissed his cheek. She said, "Thank You, Ralph." She then turned towards his buddies and said, "Thanks to all of you, too."
They grinned and replied, "You are welcome, Adira."
There was a final call for boarding. Adira took Raven from Ralph. She said, "Thank you once again." He replied, "No need. You are always welcome, Adira."
Ralph then grabbed the stroller and told her he would check it in for her.
"You be safe, Ralph, and don't do anything heroic," she said. Her heart at that moment was pounding so loud she thought everyone might hear it. She then said, "Take care, Ralph."
Ralph's eyes had been searching her face. He then replied, "Yes, Madam, I will."
She was unable to wait any longer. She forced her feet to move. She forced herself not to look behind because goodbye was not easy for her.
When Adira finally looked at her ticket, she realized he had bought a first-class ticket for her. She burst into tears after that.
She arrived at the Texas airport. The place where she grew up still looked the same. It had pretty streets and trees and was the loveliest place on Earth. But behind the pretty exterior, there existed some ugly souls. Like her Uncle and Aunt, Adira thought.
Her guardians regularly went to the church to show off. Her Aunt had lunch with the Mayor's wife. While her Uncle played golf and polo with the current Senator. She was lost in her thoughts when the Uber driver drove the cab into the circular driveway. The house she had grown up in held very few happy memories from her childhood.
At that point, Adira had the urge to ask the Uber driver to continue driving further and not stop there. She wanted to give him the address that Ralph had provided. The unknown would be better than the known devil, she thought.
She took a deep breath. She convinced herself that people do change. Even her Aunt and Uncle might have had a change of heart. If she wanted them to have a change of heart, she also had to do the same. As the driver stopped, the door to the house opened, and her brother rushed out. There was a broad smile on his face. He shouted out Adira's name loudly.
The driver smiled on seeing a warm welcome. He told her that he would get her stuff and baggage from the back of the car. Her brother Neil ripped open the door to get a glimpse of Raven. After seeing her, he said, "Oh! She is mini Adira."
Adira unbuckled Raven's car seat and safety strap. She then handed Raven's stroller to Neil. She glanced up at him in surprise. She said, "You have become quite tall."
Her brother replied, "Also a lot smarter." He said, "I am practically ready to run Uncle's business."
Adira said, "I am so happy to have seen you first. To talk to you, little brother."
The Uber driver then called out to Adira and said "Good luck Madame." She wished him, "Safe travels." He then left.
She enquired from Neil about their Uncle and Aunt. He replied that Aunt was at the tennis court, while Uncle was in a meeting with the Mayor. He said that they would not be back until evening, so she should feel free and make herself comfortable.
Neil then started playing with Raven, and said, "Hey pretty girl, you look just like your Mom."
Adira had understood that her guardians did not want to accept her, or else they would have been present there. She asked Neil, "Please tell me, do they know that Raven and I are here?"
Neil sheepishly looked at her and said, "They knew you two were expected, but I did not specify the day."
"Seriously? Neil," she asked.
He replied, "Better to take Aunt by surprise, rather than give her time to prepare."
Adira replied, "She hates surprises. Also, I want them to think that I have changed."
Neil hugged her and said, "Don't worry, dear. I love you, just the way you are."
They both then cheerfully went inside.